Depression Counselor on 6 Tips for Coping with the Holiday Blues

By AdminPublished On: November 3rd, 20211.7 min read

Orlando Depression Counselor gives tips for depression during the holidays! Whether someone has lost a loved one, has a house in foreclosure, or gone through a divorce, Christmas is an especially difficult time of year. Loss, death, separation, and divorce issues seem especially painful during the holiday season. At a time when people focus on their family and relatives, it accentuates the depth of many people’s pain.

This year many people have lost their jobs and have the added stress of worrying about how they are going to keep food on the table and pay their mortgage. Depression, sadness, Remembering the “happy” times compared to the present can create depression, sadness, anxiety, and loneliness.

So knowing that this is a very difficult time, what are some steps that can help?

Forget the expectation of what is “supposed” to happen and decide what you want to experience during the holiday season. Take charge of your life!
Exploring past memories may create a spiral into depression. Both happy and sad memories can do this! If focusing on these memories trigger depression, focus on experiencing the moment and give yourself permission to feel a wide range of emotions.
Create new traditions. Often expressions of holiday traditions involve painful connections to loss. Creating new ones can make the holidays tolerable. If a family member died, decide if it would be a positive move to include this person’s memory in some aspect of this new tradition.
Volunteer time to help others. Oftentimes the loss causes so much pain that there is no desire whatsoever to celebrate the holidays. However, helping others may keep the focus off self and add meaning to this time in a new way.
Reduce stress. This may mean examining your lifestyle and finding ways to reduce the demands on your life.
Talk to a friend Sharing thoughts and feelings with a trusted friend often decreases the sense of loneliness.

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Filed in: Adults, Blog, Depression, Orlando, Teens, Treatment Alternatives

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About the Author: Admin

Frustrated about trying to find the right counselor! Our TLC experts take the guesswork out of finding a great counselor! Call us at 407 248-0030! TLC provides therapy services for all ages in the Orlando Central Florida area and can handle almost any issue. At Total Life Counseling we focus on more than just the “Mind;" we focus on the “Total” person. Clients travel all over Florida, from the Bahamas and Georgia as TLC has worked with patients' and their prescriber' to reduce their need for medication. Since 2003 85% of our patients were stabilized with FDA approved supplements and dietary adjustments. Patients receive tremendous relief from their symptoms with less medication or in some cases without medication. Orlando teen and adolescent life workshops and teen camps. Our counselors have been interviewed by local and national News outlets including NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and Radio!